Kuroinu: Just Desserts
by MeerschaumM41
Summary: A short story to "fix" the ending of Kuroinu. Did Volt really think that those loyal to Celestine would let him get away with it? Update: The"extended" version is now completed.
1. Overture

**Author's Note:** **This was the original story I had posted. The "extended version" starts in Chapter 2: Sic Semper Tyrannis, and I suggest you start there. I have simply kept this "Cliff's Notes" version for the sake of posterity.**

 **I wrote this story simply to fix what I saw as a serious fly-in-the-ointment in Kuroinu. That is, the ending. I just had to give the ladies a happy ending. Especially Origa and Chloe, as I absolutely loved their design, and the fact that chocolate elves in general are pretty damn great.**

* * *

As he stared at the sewer grate in front of him, Lucius, former Captain of the 6th Capitoline Guard, tightened his grip on the hilt of the sheathed sword at his hip. A full year of despair, pain, and planning had culminated in this moment. A full year since Volt and his Black Dog mercenaries had usurped the throne and established a new empire where rape and the enslavement of all womenfolk was law. It was tonight, while the Black Dogs lay drunk from their day-long celebrations, that Lucius and others of the Loyalist Resistance would strike all across the southern lands. With any luck, the morning light would find Volt dead and Celestine rescued.

"This passage will take us straight into the heart of the castle." He spoke in a hushed tone to the one dozen men behind him. They were all veteran soldiers hand-picked from the most elite units of the realm. All save for one rather scrawny man in a hooded cloak. "Once inside, we will make our way to the feast hall. Our spies inside say that Volt has gathered Celestine and the queens there for..." Lucius paused for a moment. "You all know why we are here. We all have mothers, wives, sisters, daughters. Every one of them have-"

"You do not need to give us a speech, Lucius." One of the men, a heavy-set soldier by the name of Saul, interrupted with a solemn tone. "As you said, we all know why we are here."

"Right." Lucius nodded. He turned to the cloaked man. "You have the... concoction, right, Doran? Are... are you sure that it will work?"

"Did you remember to bring your sword, Lucius." The man huffed. "Of course I have it. And of course it will work. The potency and speed of action will astonishing. For there is no greater alchemist in all the land."

"Or greater ego." Lucius muttered. "Now, let us open this gate and get to the task at hand." At his command, Saul stepped forward and the two pried the grate from the sewer pipe. Without further word, the group slipped inside.

With only a torch for light, the group trudged through the sewer for several minutes before coming to an open grate overhead. Lucius pointed upwards. Once again, Saul stepped forward. Crouching down, he wrapped his arms around Lucius's legs and hefted him up. As he was brought to the top of the sewer, Lucius raised the grate several inches and surveyed the room. It was the laundry, where the maids would was the royal garments. The room was empty, so the former Captain pushed the grate aside and lifted himself out of the sewer. Turning, he then helped Saul out of the dank under-passage. As the other loyalists followed, Lucius crept to the door and went to take a peek into the hallway, but quickly snapped back into the room as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey! Who's there?!" A voice called out from the hall. Lucius looked to his comrades and put a finger to his lips. It was unneeded as they could all hear the heavy footsteps drawing closer. "I said who goes th-mmph!" The the door swung open, Lucius grabbed the guard and pressed a hand against the man's mouth. As he dragged the man to the ground, another rebel leapt forward and plunged a dagger into the guard's heart. Lucius held tight as the Black Dog thrashed about, and once the body went limp, threw him into the sewer.

"May this be but the first dog we put down." The former captain spat, earning a nod of approval from the others. With the signal of a hand, the soldiers drew their blades and slipped into the hallway, moving stealthily towards their final destination.

"Alright, men." Lucius whispered to his comrades as they drew near to the corner that led to the feast hall. "There will be two guards at the door. We strike hard and fast and immediately press onward into the feast hall. I know not what we will find within, but I cannot imagine that it will be pleasant. Kill every Dog and conspirator you see, but be mindful of those we are duty-bound to protect." They all nodded and Lucius swung out his sword, signaling the attack.

Without shout or battle cry, they charged around the corner. Just as Lucius had said, two Black Dogs stood at the door with spear in hand. They were caught completely unawares and barely had time to take a defensive position.

"Intrud-Aaagh!" The Black Dog's shout of warning was cut off as a sword was thrust into his throat. The other guard, however, was able to skewer his spear into the gut of a rebel before a shorter blade swing in and separated his head from his neck. Not wasting a moment to tend to their dying comrade, the loyalists slammed into the massive double doors of the feast hall, forcing them open.

Again, it was just as Lucius had said: not pleasant. Between two long banquet tables, numerous men were passed out on the floor. A good two dozen, however, were still conscious. Some were naked, others dressed, but all were forcefully and violently sating their carnal lust within the flesh of nine women. The very same women that the loyalists had come to save. The scene disgusted Lucius's men, but what enraged them more than anything was the sight of Volt sitting at the far end of the room, his hand on the back of Celestine's head and forcing her face into his loins and his flesh down her throat.

"For the Goddess!" Lucius did not stop to gawk. He charged in and slashed at the closest Black Dog, his sword biting deep into the man's back. His comrades were not far behind. Several of the Black Dogs were cut down, but those still mostly dressed were able to react quick enough to arm themselves and form a defensive ring around Volt. The women, mind-broken as they were, still recognized what was going on and moved out of the way as best they could.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?!" Volt shouted as he shoved Celestine aside and stood. As he pulled his pants up to his waist and fastened his belt he regained his composure. "Okay, let us be reasonable here. I can tell by your armor that you all were members of the army. You probably fought against the forces of the Dark Queen, or perhaps lost buddies to her minions, yeah? How about you put down those weapons, loosen those codpieces and take your anger out the bitch herself." He pointed to Origa Discordia who sat the floor, her back against a chair. Upon hearing this, she spread her legs and gave a sultry smile.

"Yes. Use my-"

"Attack!" Lucius interrupted, deciding that he had already hesitated for too long. The loyalists rushed the Black Dogs and a brutal melee ensued. Doran, however, kept back. Reaching into a bag under his cloak, he grabbed a handful of powder and flung it into the air, and then another and another.

"Bah! You a fairy princess or something?" Volt coughed as the powder formed a cloud that filled the room. "You will need more than some shitty-ass pixie dust if you want to beat the Black Dogs!"

"You are right!" Breathing in, Lucius could feel a sharp tingling in his brain as he hacked down the mercenary in front of his and rushed at the usurper king. He swung his sword and locked blades with Volt. "But that was not just some 'shitty-ass pixie dust.' Nor was it for you."

"What?" Volt clenched his teeth as pain shot into his left leg. He turned to see Alicia holding a steak knife buried into his thigh, her eyes burning with hate. "Damn you-aaagh!" He cried out and twisted as Claudia thrust a carving skewer into his right side just under the ribs. Lucius reared back to swing the deathblow but before he could, Maia grabbed Volt's face from behind and tilted his head back. In the same instant, she raised a serrated knife to his throat and cut with such force that the blade nearly hit spine.

"Ggrhkha..." Volt gurgled as blood sprayed Lucius. Maia let go, and the mercenary king collapsed in a heap. Alicia and Claudia stood, and the three women glared down the king dog as he whimpered and died.

"Such is the fate of mad dogs." Lucius spat on the corpse. He turned in time to see Chloe stab the last Black Dog through the neck with a table knife. Of his own men, only Doran, Saul, and two others still lived. "Make sure the Dogs are all dead." He commanded before turning once more and rushing to Celestine's side. "My lady, my queen, my goddess." Lucius whispered as he removed his cloak and wrapped it around her naked body. "You are safe now. Your nation and your people are safe now."

"G-good." Celestine pulled the cloak tightly around herself and slowly stood up. "But I am no more a queen nor goddess, and it is no longer my nation."

"With Volt and the Black Dogs dead, your throne will be restored."

"No. I have failed as a leader, and before my own subjects I have been humiliated, disgraced, and defiled. With what they have seen, I have lost their respect forever. I am too sullied-"

"Lady Celestine." Lucius dropped to one knee and bowed his head reverently, his voice boomed with righteous devotion. "Even now, with everything that has happened, your people still love you. Look upon the men who have given their lives here and now. They were willing to lay down their lives out of that love, my lady. All across the realm, thousands upon thousands hold such devotion and are wresting control of the land back from these villains. The shame inflicted by Volt and his men was not yours for failing us, my queen, but all of ours for failing you. Not a day goes by that your subjects do no yearn for you to be restored to the throne. We-"

"I see, Captain Lucius." Celestine spoke quietly, interrupting Lucius's rambling. She looked over the scene around her. The dead on the ground, loyalist soldiers helping the other women cover themselves, and Lucius still kneeling before her. "Rise, Captain, and let us leave this place. Volt may be dead, but surely more of his men are still in the castle."

"Of course, Goddess Celestine."

* * *

"This is an outrage!" Grave Levantine growled as he stared out the window of his estate. The moonlit streets below were filled with people celebrating the one year anniversary of Volt's rise to power, or merely using it as an excuse for public drunkenness. "Claudia was to be mine and mine alone. To propagate my bloodline. But that damnable Volt demanded I give her to him for his party tonight. Now if she were to become pregnant, how many men might be able to claim parentage? Ten? Twenty? A hundred?" He sighed. "Still, I may not need to worry. After all, filling her vessel every night for a year has yet to result in any offspring. Perhaps my daughter-in-law is just as worthless as my son." He turned and looked at Klaus. The younger man sat at a dining table, his face blank.

"Dead seed bears no crop, no matter the soil in which it is sown." Klaus intoned, staring off at nothing.

"That is quite the impudent statement coming from the likes of you!" Grave spat. "Remember that it is by my grace that you are simply confined to this estate, and not rotting in the castle dungeon!" He took a deep breath and regained his composure. "The hour is late. I think I shall retire for the night."

* * *

Klaus shot up in bed, awoken by and crash and a muffled scream. From the faint light out the window, it seemed an hour or two before sunrise. With a yawn, he crawled out of bed and stumbled into the hallway. Shuffling through the corridor, he stepped over Black Dogs soldiers as they lay motionless on the floor.

"I guess they went a little overboard on the drink." In his groggy state, he could not see that the men were dead. As he reached the breakfast hall, he placed a hand on the door.

"W-w-wait! You would not do this to your own father, would you?" Klaus could hear Grave on the other side of the door. Opening the door, Klaus was shocked by what he saw. His father, Grave, was down on both knees with his hands clasped together. Standing over him, with her back to Klaus, was Claudia. She was clad in full armor and holding a sword out so that the tip touched Grave's throat. Around them stood a dozen armored soldiers wearing the heraldry of High Queen Celestine.

"That is quite the impudent statement after what you did to me!" Claudia roared. Gritting her teeth, she reared back and thrust her sword into Grave's chest. Placing a boot on his chest, the noblewoman kicked him off her blade. Grave fell onto his side as stared at Klaus.

"Klaus... my son..." The old man coughed as he lay in an expanding puddle of his own blood.

"Claudia?" Klaus spoke with wide eyes. Instantly recognizing his voice, Claudia spun around and their eyes met.

"K-Klaus?" Claudia stammered and dropped her sword. She took a step towards her husband, but stopped and quickly turned away. "N-no. I am dirty. Sullied. Defiled. I can no longer be-" She was interrupted as Klaus ran into her from behind and embraced her as tightly as he could.

"N-no. Y-you are n-neither sullied nor d-defiled." Klaus choked by tears. "You are my wife, and I love you. Nothing else matters."

"I... I killed your father." Claudia's jaw hurt from how hard she was clenching her teeth.

"You did not, my love. My... my father died a year ago. When he betrayed... he betrayed" Klaus fell to his knees. Claudia turned and kneeled as well. They embraced tightly and wept in silence.

* * *

Origa Discordia sighed with a shiver and lolled her head back as she sat within her private chambers. Taking a sip of wine, she placed one hand on the blonde-haired head between her thighs. There, Chloe licked lovingly at the Dark Queen while gingerly teasing her rosebud with an oiled finger. She looked up at Origa, the Dark Queen's nectar dripping from her lips. For a moment their eyes met and they shared a warm smile.

Suddenly, there was the creaking of an opening door. With lightning reflexes, Chloe rolled to the side and jumped to her feet. Just as swiftly, Origa crossed her legs and threw the hem of her dress over her thighs.

"My Queen!" The dark elf steward called out as he stepped into the room. Origa and Chloe stole a glance at each other and looked back at the steward. If he had seen what they had been doing, then he did a good job at pretending that he did not. "A message from Lady Celestine of the southern realms."

"Proceed, steward." Origa spoke with a haughty elegance as she set her wine glass on the table next to her. "What message does fair Celestine have for us?" With a curt nod, the steward produced a piece of parchment and began reading.

"'It is with great honor and fanfare that the High Queen Lady Celestine Lucross and her Princess Knights of the Seven Shield Alliance do extend invitation to Queen Origa Discordia of the North, her womanservant Chloe, and retinue, requesting their attendance, as guests of the Goddess, at the celebrations marking ten years since the defeat of the most vile Volt and his dastardly Black Dogs mercenaries. In addition, it is hoped that this event may cement a peace between our two lands forevermore.

Signed most sincerely,

Claudia Levantine  
Alicia Arcturus  
Prim Fiorire  
Kaguya  
Maia  
Luu-Luu  
High Queen Celestine Lucross'"

"Very good." Origa replied simply. "Draft a reply of acceptance, we are honored by the invitation, reciprocate the desire for lasting peace, et cetera, et cetera. You are dismissed."

"My Queen." The steward bowed deeply and left the room.

"Ten years already, huh?" Chloe muttered, her eyes downcast as the horrible memories returned to her.

"Think not of that time, my dear." From behind, Origa wrapped an arm around Chloe. With her other hand, she plucked a small teacake from the nearby table and lovingly fed it to her companion. "All those that betrayed us have long since suffered their just desserts, and we have ensured that such treason shall never again befall us. You are safe."


	2. Sic Semper Tyrannis

**Author's note: This is the first chapter of the extended version. Most of the following is from the original, but the last parts are new.**

As he stared at the sewer grate in front of him, Lucius, former Captain of the 6th Capitoline Guard, tightened his grip on the hilt of the sheathed sword at his hip. A full year of despair, pain, and planning had culminated in this moment. A full year since Volt and his Black Dog mercenaries had usurped the throne and established a new empire where rape and the enslavement of all womenfolk was law. It was tonight, while the Black Dogs lay drunk from their day-long celebrations, that Lucius and others of the Loyalist Resistance would strike all across the southern lands. With any luck, the morning light would find Volt dead and Celestine rescued.

"This passage will take us straight into the heart of the castle." He spoke in a hushed tone to the one dozen men behind him. They were all veteran soldiers hand-picked from the most elite units of the realm. All save for one rather scrawny man in a hooded cloak. "Once inside, we will make our way to the feast hall. Our spies inside say that Volt has gathered Celestine and the queens there for..." Lucius paused for a moment. "You all know why we are here. We all have mothers, wives, sisters, daughters. Every one of them have-"

"You do not need to give us a speech, Lucius." One of the men, a heavy-set soldier by the name of Saul, interrupted with a solemn tone. "As you said, we all know why we are here."

"Right." Lucius nodded. He turned to the cloaked man. "You have the... concoction, right, Doran? Are... are you sure that it will work?"

"Did you remember to bring your sword, Lucius." The man huffed. "Of course I have it. And of course it will work. The potency and speed of action will astonishing. For there is no greater alchemist in all the land."

"Or greater ego." Lucius muttered. "Now, let us open this gate and get to the task at hand." At his command, Saul stepped forward and the two pried the grate from the sewer pipe. Without further word, the group slipped inside.

With only a torch for light, the group trudged through the sewer for several minutes before coming to an open grate overhead. Lucius pointed upwards. Once again, Saul stepped forward. Crouching down, he wrapped his arms around Lucius's legs and hefted him up. As he was brought to the top of the sewer, Lucius raised the grate several inches and surveyed the room. It was the laundry, where the maids would was the royal garments. The room was empty, so the former Captain pushed the grate aside and lifted himself out of the sewer. Turning, he then helped Saul out of the dank under-passage. As the other loyalists followed, Lucius crept to the door and went to take a peek into the hallway, but quickly snapped back into the room as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey! Who's there?!" A voice called out from the hall. Lucius looked to his comrades and put a finger to his lips. It was unneeded as they could all hear the heavy footsteps drawing closer. "I said who goes th-mmph!" The the door swung open, Lucius grabbed the guard and pressed a hand against the man's mouth. As he dragged the man to the ground, another rebel leapt forward and plunged a dagger into the guard's heart. Lucius held tight as the Black Dog thrashed about, and once the body went limp, threw him into the sewer.

"May this be but the first dog we put down." The former captain spat, earning a nod of approval from the others. With the signal of a hand, the soldiers drew their blades and slipped into the hallway, moving stealthily towards their final destination.

"Alright, men." Lucius whispered to his comrades as they drew near to the corner that led to the feast hall. "There will be two guards at the door. We strike hard and fast and immediately press onward into the feast hall. I know not what we will find within, but I cannot imagine that it will be pleasant. Kill every Dog and conspirator you see, but be mindful of those we are duty-bound to protect." They all nodded and Lucius swung out his sword, signaling the attack.

Without shout or battle cry, they charged around the corner. Just as Lucius had said, two Black Dogs stood at the door with spear in hand. They were caught completely unawares and barely had time to take a defensive position.

"Intrud-Aaagh!" The Black Dog's shout of warning was cut off as a sword was thrust into his throat. The other guard, however, was able to skewer his spear into the gut of a rebel before a shorter blade swing in and separated his head from his neck. Not wasting a moment to tend to their dying comrade, the loyalists slammed into the massive double doors of the feast hall, forcing them open.

Again, it was just as Lucius had said: not pleasant. Between two long banquet tables, numerous men were passed out on the floor. A good two dozen, however, were still conscious. Some were naked, others dressed, but all were forcefully and violently sating their carnal lust within the flesh of nine women. The very same women that the loyalists had come to save. The scene disgusted Lucius's men, but what enraged them more than anything was the sight of Volt sitting at the far end of the room, his hand on the back of Celestine's head and forcing her face into his loins and his flesh down her throat.

"For the Goddess!" Lucius did not stop to gawk. He charged in and slashed at the closest Black Dog, his sword biting deep into the man's back. His comrades were not far behind. Several of the Black Dogs were cut down, but those still mostly dressed were able to react quick enough to arm themselves and form a defensive ring around Volt. The women, mind-broken as they were, still recognized what was going on and moved out of the way as best they could.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?!" Volt shouted as he shoved Celestine aside and stood. As he pulled his pants up to his waist and fastened his belt he regained his composure. "Okay, let us be reasonable here. I can tell by your armor that you all were members of the army. You probably fought against the forces of the Dark Queen, or perhaps lost buddies to her minions, yeah? How about you put down those weapons, loosen those codpieces and take your anger out the bitch herself." He pointed to Origa Discordia who sat the floor, her back against a chair. Upon hearing this, she spread her legs and gave a sultry smile.

"Yes. Use my-"

"Attack!" Lucius interrupted, deciding that he had already hesitated for too long. The loyalists rushed the Black Dogs and a brutal melee ensued. Doran, however, kept back. Reaching into a bag under his cloak, he grabbed a handful of powder and flung it into the air, and then another and another.

"Bah! You a fairy princess or something?" Volt coughed as the powder formed a cloud that filled the room. "You will need more than some shitty-ass pixie dust if you want to beat the Black Dogs!"

"You are right!" Breathing in, Lucius could feel a sharp tingling in his brain as he hacked down the mercenary in front of his and rushed at the usurper king. He swung his sword and locked blades with Volt. "But that was not just some 'shitty-ass pixie dust.' Nor was it for you."

"What?" Volt clenched his teeth as pain shot into his left leg. He turned to see Alicia holding a steak knife buried into his thigh, her eyes burning with hate. "Damn you-aaagh!" He cried out and twisted as Claudia thrust a carving skewer into his right side just under the ribs. Lucius reared back to swing the deathblow but before he could, Maia grabbed Volt's face from behind and tilted his head back. In the same instant, she raised a serrated knife to his throat and cut with such force that the blade nearly hit spine.

"Ggrhkha..." Volt gurgled as blood sprayed Lucius. Maia let go, and the mercenary king collapsed in a heap. Alicia and Claudia stood, and the three women glared down the king dog as he whimpered and died.

"Such is the fate of mad dogs." Lucius spat on the corpse. He turned in time to see Chloe stab the last Black Dog through the neck with a table knife. Of his own men, only Doran, Saul, and two others still lived. "Make sure the Dogs are all dead." He commanded before turning once more and rushing to Celestine's side. "My lady, my queen, my goddess." Lucius whispered as he removed his cloak and wrapped it around her naked body. "You are safe now. Your nation and your people are safe now."

"G-good." Celestine pulled the cloak tightly around herself and slowly stood up. "But I am no more a queen nor goddess, and it is no longer my nation."

"With Volt and the Black Dogs dead, your throne will be restored."

"No. I have failed as a leader, and before my own subjects I have been humiliated, disgraced, and defiled. When I speak, how can the people not remember what they saw be do that day? Or in the days since? What Volt did to me. I have lost their respect forever."

"Lady Celestine." Lucius dropped to one knee and bowed his head reverently, his voice boomed with righteous devotion. "Even now, with everything that has happened, your people still love you. Look upon the men who have given their lives here and now. They were willing to lay down their lives out of that love, my lady. All across the realm, thousands upon thousands hold such devotion and are wresting control of the land back from these villains. The shame inflicted by Volt and his men was not yours for failing us, my queen, but all of ours for failing you. Not a day goes by that your subjects do no yearn for you to be restored to the throne. We-"

"I see, Captain Lucius." Celestine spoke quietly, interrupting Lucius's rambling. She looked over the scene around her. The dead on the ground, loyalist soldiers helping the other women scavenge clothes from the fallen, and Lucius still kneeling before her. "Rise, Captain, and let us leave this place. Volt may be dead, but surely more of his men are still in the castle."

"Of course, Goddess Celestine. We do have a second infiltration team tasked with opening the gates for a larger resistance force waiting outside," Lucius stood. "But we cannot take their success for granted, and your rescue is of the utmost importance."

"Hold up. What are we going to do with her?" Saul asked gruffly, pointing to Origa. The Dark Queen knelt as she fastened the straps of an ill-fitting boot. "I mean Volt was a traitor and a sick bastard, but remember why he was hired in the first place. I don't think we will get a better opportunity to slit the bitch's throat." Origa looked up at his with stoic defiance, but said nothing. Chloe grabbed a nearby sword and stood in front of her queen.

"While I still draw breath, you will not lay a hand on Lady Origa." She declared, gripping the sword tightly with both hands as oversized clothing sagged from her thin body.

"Wait. This is not honorable." Alicia placed a hand on Saul's sword arm and forced it down.

"Indeed." Celestine spoke in agreement as she threw a tunic over her head. "Lady Origa and Chloe have suffered incredible pain and humiliation, just as I and the others have. I believe this... traumatic experience that we have shared has formed a bond between us. All of us. A bond to which all previous animosity pales. Would you not agree, Lady Discordia?"

"It is as you say. I might even consider you seven of the Alliance as my sisters." Origa stood slowly, looking each of them in the eyes. "Once I retake my throne, and the traitors in my land purged, you will no longer need consider the North your enemy."

"After what you have done, I will never bring myself to forgive you, witch. You have only suffered a fraction of what you deserve, but if the High Queen wishes you safe then I shall acquiesce." Saul grumbled.

"Good." The Dark Queen turned her nose up. "Now if we are done dithering about, I insist we do as Lady Celestine suggested and make our escape."

"Of course." Lucius replied with a nod. "Follow me, and we will make our exit the same way we entered."


	3. Sins of the Father

**Author's note: Again, some of the following is from the original story, and some is new.**

"This is an outrage!" Grave Levantine growled as he stared out the window of his estate. The moonlit streets below were filled with people celebrating the one year anniversary of Volt's rise to power, or merely using it as an excuse for public drunkeness. "Claudia was to be mine and mine alone. To propagate my bloodline. But that damnable Volt demanded I give her to him for his party tonight. Now if she were to become pregnant, how many men might be able to claim parentage? Ten? Twenty? A hundred?" He sighed. "Still, I may not need to worry. After all, filling her vessel every night for a year has yet to result in any offspring. Perhaps my daughter-in-law is just as worthless as my son." He turned and looked at Klaus. The younger man sat at a dining table, his face blank.

"Dead seed bears no crop, no matter the soil in which it is sown." Klaus intoned, staring off at nothing.

"That is quite the impudent statement coming from the likes of you!" Grave spat. "Remember that it is by my grace that you are simply confined to this estate, and not rotting in the castle dungeon!" He took a deep breath and regained his composure. "The hour is late. I think I shall retire for the night."

* * *

"Ugh..." Arik awoke with a groan and found himself sitting in a hallway with his back propped up against the wall. Laying down next to him was one of his Black Dog comrades, passed out and laying in a puddle of vomit. "Ha! Sven you sorry bastard." Staggering to his feet, he was pleasantly surprised that the previous night's drunken debauchery had left him with only a minor hangover. At the end of the corridor, he spied a House Levantine servant girl. Her uniform, if it could even be called that, covered practically nothing, and Arik realized that he had awoken fully erect.

"You there! Servant girl!" He shouted as he stumbled towards her. "Turn around and grab yer ankles. I've got a soldier in need."

"B-but... n-no, p-p-please..." The startled young woman pleaded.

"I ain't asking." Arik growled as he grabbed her and spun her around. "Grab yer ankles, or I'm breaking them." Biting her lip and beginning to cry, the girl bent over. The Black Dog unfastened his belt and allowed himself to flop out. He pressed against her, and as he was about to thrust in, he felt a gauntleted hand fall on his shoulder. "Sven! How about you take her other ho-Oogh!" The surprised mercenary looked down to see the blade of a sword sticking out of his stomach. He was yanked backwards, and with a twist, thrown off the sword. Down the hall he could see Sven's lifeless body, blood now mixing with the vomit. Rolling onto his back, he looked up to see none other than Claudia Levantine standing over him, her sword wet with his blood.

"You... bitc-" Arik was cut off as Claudia thrust her blade into his throat.

"Annika. Get her to the others." Claudia pointed to the terrified servant girl who, spattered with blood, was now cowering against the wall. "The rest of you form up and follow me."

"Aye!" The loyalist soldiers around her replied in unison.

* * *

Klaus shot up in bed, awoken by and crash and a muffled scream. From the faint light out the window, it seemed an hour or two before sunrise. With a yawn, he crawled out of bed and stumbled into the hallway. Shuffling through the corridor, he stepped over Black Dogs soldiers as they lay motionless on the floor.

"I guess they went a little overboard on the drink." In his groggy state, he could not see that the men were dead. As he reached the breakfast hall, he placed a hand on the door.

"W-w-wait! You would not do this to your own father, would you?" Klaus could hear Grave on the other side of the door. Opening the door, Klaus was shocked by what he saw. His father, Grave, was down on both knees with his hands clasped together. Standing over him, with her back to Klaus, was Claudia. She was clad in full armor and holding a sword out so that the tip touched Grave's throat. Around them stood a dozen armored soldiers wearing the heraldry of High Queen Celestine.

"That is quite the impudent statement after what you did to me!" Claudia roared. Gritting her teeth, she reared back and thrust her sword into Grave's chest. Placing a boot on his chest, the noblewoman kicked him off her blade. Grave fell onto his side as stared at Klaus.

"Klaus... my son..." The old man coughed as he lay in an expanding puddle of his own blood.

"Claudia?" Klaus spoke with wide eyes. Instantly recognizing his voice, Claudia spun around and their eyes met.

"K-Klaus?" Claudia stammered and dropped her sword. She took a step towards her husband, but stopped and quickly turned away. "N-no. I am dirty. Sullied. Defiled. I can no longer be-" She was interrupted as Klaus ran into her from behind and embraced her as tightly as he could.

"N-no. Y-you are n-neither sullied nor d-defiled." Klaus choked by tears. "You are my wife, and I love you. Nothing else matters."

"I... I killed your father." Claudia's jaw hurt from how hard she was clenching her teeth.

"You did not, my love. My... my father died a year ago. When he betrayed... he betrayed" Klaus fell to his knees. Claudia turned and kneeled as well. They embraced tightly and wept in silence.


	4. Honor Before Reason

**Author's note: I have updated the chapter to include Minister Beasely's name. Thank you bestpony666.**

* * *

"Yes. Like that." As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Minister Beasely sighed and leaned back in his chair. One hand clenched tightly on his desk while the other was placed firmly on the head of the naked woman kneeling between his legs. Her head bobbed up and down and she squeezed her eyes shut as the old man occasionally forced her face against his loins. The unfortunate woman once went by the name of Sylvia, and had been a particularly proud subordinate of Alicia Arcturus. For the past year, however, she held the unfortunate title of the Minister's favorite flesh-toy, and the Minister's insatiable lust meant that most of her waking hours were spent fulfilling that role.

"M-my Lord! I have a…. message from... the Captain of... the Gate." The woman called to the Minister as she entered his office, sweating and breathing heavily. She wore leather sandals with straps that crisscrossed up to her knees, a slave collar around her neck, and a loincloth of sheer gossamer, but was otherwise completely naked.

"Hold a moment." The Minister rasped as he held up his free hand. He closed his eyes and let out a long groan. A few seconds later, coughing came from under his desk. "Swallow it all. I do not abide dirty floors." He shouted as he looked directly down. He looked back up and held out his hand. "Continue."

"R-right." The woman stuttered. "We have been… encircled by an… enemy army."

"Enemy army?" Beasely questioned. "What enemy? Who can still muster an army besides the Empire?"

"The rebels-" The messenger offered with a little hope in her voice.

"Hmph…" The Minister placed his free hand on his chin. "I had heard reports of rioting in other cities, but with things as quiet as they have been here, I had not believed them…" He thought for a moment. "Yes, well, as you can see, I am quite busy. I am sure the Captain can handle this issue."

"They carry banners bearing the personal heraldry of Alicia Arcturus."

"What?! Did you say Alicia Arcturus?!" The old man jumped to his feet, nearly kneeing Sylvia in the jaw.

"In-indeed." The messenger continued. "She demands your immediate surrender."

"Bah!" Beasely scoffed. "You go tell the Captain that under no circumstances will there be any surrender on our part. Go!" He swept his hand out at her, and she scurried out of the office. "Damn it all!" He slammed his hand down on his desk. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" With an angry growl, he reached down and yanked Sylvia up by her hair.

"Ah!" She yelped in pain.

"Shut up you bitch!" The Minister slapped her hard on the face before nearly dragging her out of his office. "Tonight is going to be the worst night of your pitiful, worthless life. You are not going to be able to walk for a week."

* * *

"My Lord!" The soldier shouted as he burst into Beasely's bedchamber. Light of the hall silhouetted his form. "The forces of Arcturus are inside the city!"

"What?!" The Minister shot up in his bed. "What did you say?"

"The rebels have entered the city!" The man repeated. "They had spies among us. They opened the gates and Arcturus's forces entered unimpeded. Many of our troops have been cut down unawares, or have already surrendered."

"Damn it! How is this possible?!" The old man scrambled out of bed.

"Alicia is…" Sylvia groaned from the bed, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Shut up, whore!" Beasely snapped.

"My Lord, we need to get you to safet-" The soldier could not finish as he head fell from his neck. As the body crumpled to the ground, Alicia stepped forward, sword in one hand, a torch in the other.

"If you had only surrendered, Minister," Alicia said sadly. "We could have avoided this unnecessary bloodshed."

"Alicia…" The Minister growled.

"Alicia…" Sylvia said in disbelief.

Panicking, the old man looked at his nightstand. There, an apple sat on a plate, a knife buried in it's flesh. With the speed of a much younger man, the Minister grabbed the knife, then pulled Sylvia out of his bed.

"Stand back, Alicia, or I will open the throat of your precious underling." He hissed as he pressed the knife's blade against the soft flesh of Sylvia's neck. Still pointing her sword at the Minister, Alicia swept her other arm out to block the soldiers behind her.

"Please surrender, Minister." She requested stoically. "There is no need for any more death tonight."

"Ha!" The old man scoffed. "I am not so foolish to think that surrender does not mean my own death, whether immediate or delayed. So I have a proposal for you." Alicia's eyes narrowed as Beasely spoke. "You give me a horse and allow me to leave this city unhindered, and I will let your little underling go free. After I reach a safe distance away, of course. I will leave this nation, and never return. How does that sound?" Alicia gritted her teeth, but said nothing. "If not, this bitch dies!" He pressed the knife tighter to her throat.

"Very well…" Alicia sighed and lowered her blade. "I give you my word. You will have your horse, and neither I, nor any of the soldiers here, will impede or harm you in any way. " She turned to one of her soldiers. "Let this be known through the ranks. I will not have my promises broken."

"Y-yes, sir." The soldier replied with some hesitation and hurried off.

"You made the right choice, Alicia." The Minister smiled.

* * *

"Hurry up, you worthless whore! Your slothfulness has slowed us down enough already" Minister Beasely shouted as he feebly attempted to help the sore Sylvia onto the horse. He seemed to have forgotten what he had made her endure that night prior to Alicia's intrusion. On the other side of the horse, Alicia likewise helped the young woman up.

"Be strong." She whispered quietly to her subordinate. "It will be over shortly."

"What was that?" The Minister called out. He tried to look over the horse at Alicia, when a sudden, sharp pain pierced his left side. A long dagger sliced into him just under his bottom rib and stabbed upward into his lung. Mouth open, but unable to make a sound, he spun around and fell onto his back. Looking up, he saw Prim Fiorire standing there, bloody dagger in hand. From around the horse stepped Alicia, who held Sylvia tightly, cradling the young woman's head to her bosom.

"Alicia…" Minister Beasely spat up blood. "You… lied… to… me…."

"I did not break my promise to you, Minister." Alicia said mournfully. "I said neither I nor my soldiers would harm you. I said nothing about Prim."

"You… bitch…." The old man uttered one final curse and faded away.

"Big sis, what have I done?" Prim muttered as she dropped the dagger and brought her hands to her mouth.

"It is good and healthy to have remorse, Prim," Alicia answered. "But remember that this man caused untold suffering not only to us, but to all women of our nation. That suffering begged for justice, and you delivered it."

"Y-yeah." Prim sniffed as tears welled in her eyes.

"You were very brave, Prim." Alicia let Sylvia stand on her own feet then hugged Prim and kissed her atop the head. "I'm proud of you."


	5. A Woman Scorned

Origa Discordia watched impassively as catapults launched projectiles at the castle she had once called her own. She stood motionless, attired in her typical violet corset and black panties, and wrapped in her cape. At her side stood Chloe, her brow furrowed and a hand relaxing on the pommel of her sheathed sword. In front of the two women was arrayed an army more diverse than any seen in recent history. Dark elves, orcs, and imps still loyal to the Dark Queen formed the core, but they were augmented by human and halfling cohorts sent from the southern nations. Looking up, Origa followed one flaming projectile as it sailed through the air and crashed into the ramparts. She smirked as orcs were immolated and thrown off the wall by the impact. Meanwhile, the covered battering ram and the gates pounded on. With a final crash, several hours of work came to fruition and the now-buckled doors gave way and swung open.

"My Lady!" A dark elf soldier wearing officer's insignia ran up to Origa and knelt. "The gate is open, and it is safe to proceed."

"Very good." The Dark Queen. "Give the signal for all forces to storm the castle. Show no mercy."

"Yes, my Lady." The soldier nodded and ran off. Origa swept her cape behind her and strode forward as a horn bleated out a series of notes in a loud, deep tone. Chloe took several long steps get just ahead of her mistress and take a protective role.

As they passed through the ruined gates and into the courtyard, the loyalist forces parted to create a pathway for the Dark Queen. Though the soldiers were able to keep most of the traitorous orcs and imps at bay, a few made it through. Origa paid them no heed as Chloe cut them down with skill and grace. Reaching the center of the courtyard, she stopped and tapped the butt of her staff on the cobblestone. A deafening boom echoed through the courtyard, and the ground shook, knocking all off their feet but the two dark elves.

"Treacherous curs!" Origa bellowed. "It is I, the Queen you so cowardly betrayed, and I have come to reclaim what is rightfully mine! But I am not without mercy. I will grant clemency to all who surrender and renounce their treason. Otherwise, be prepared to suffer an excruciating death."

Within a few minutes, Origa was looking down her nose at two dozen orcs as they knelt in shackles before her. All other traitors in the courtyard lay dead.

"Kill them." She said to Chloe, but did not take her eyes off the prisoners.

"W-what?" The orcs looked up in terrified confusion. "Y-you said you would grant up mercy!"

"I lied." Origa said with utter contempt as Chloe swung her sword down and decapitated the orc. The others cried out in a cacophony of protest and tried to stand and run. Origa threw her free hand out then down. The prisoners all fell to the ground and wriggled about as if held down by a giant, invisible hand. Without any urgency, Chloe moved down the line executing one after the other. Only when the last orc's desperate pleas were cut short did Origa allow a faint smile break her cold expression.

* * *

King Thrakka sat up his throne. The throne that had once belonged to the Dark Queen. The throne that he earned after crushing the last king's skull with his bare hands. Around the edges of the throne room, his personal guard stood at attention. At his feet a dozen dark elf women, the former handmaidens of the Dark Queen, lay naked and wearing slave collars. In the middle of the room, a handful of advisers and generals bickered about the ongoing siege. An imp burst into the room and tried to scurry his way to the king, but was blocked the advisers who were now on the brink of a fist fight.

"Silence!" Thrakka bellowed and slammed his fists on the throne, causing the slave girls to cower. The advisers stopped and looked up at him. "Let the imp through!" With sheepish obedience they parted.

"M-my king! Terrible news!" The imp scampered forth. "The enemy has breached the gates! They have breached the keep! They are-" Thrakka charged down from the throne and grabbed the imp and crushed his tiny body in his hand.

"Waaagh!" The orc king howled "Are those sorry bastards just lying down and letting them in?!"

"My king." One of the advisers stepped forward. "Maybe we should get out of here. We could-" He was interrupted as the bloody carcass of the imp hit him in the face.

"No!" Thrakka shouted. "I'm the king, and I ain't giving that up! We are fighting, and that's tha- Oh! Oh what is this?!" He stopped as he saw Origa step into the room, alone except for Chloe standing dutifully at her side. "Ha! What a whore! Those pathetic humans rescue you and the first thing you do is come crawling back for some more orc dick!"

"You are in no position to be speaking like that, worm." The Dark Queen spoke coldly.

"Bah! We have already seen that without us, you are just some weak little bitch!"

"Except this time," Origa raised her hand and clenched it into a fist. Thrakka's whole body was wracked with intense pain. It felt as if he had been struck by lightning as every muscle in his body contracted and he fell backwards. The other orcs screamed horrifically as they were likewise affected. "This time I have the full strength of my power." She looked past Thrakka at her handmaidens who were gazing fearfully from behind the throne. "You are free, my loyal servants. Our soldiers are waiting outside. Go to them." As swiftly as they could the women scurried out, some pausing briefly to give Origa a quick bow.

"You…" Thrakka whimpered as he lay on his back, his legs full extended while his arms were curled over his chest.

"You were not entirely wrong, you pathetic creature." The Dark Queen spoke sultrily as she walked towards the writhing orc. "Though my mind is my own once more, I have been left with a... persisting appetite." She knelt down and slipped her hand into his trousers. "This belongs to me now."

"What... are yo-Aaaagh!" Thrakka screamed as Origa grabbed his testicles and squeezed as hard as she could.

* * *

Origa and Chloe lay together in bed, their naked bodies pressed against each other. They kissed passionately as fingers ran across skin, rubbing and teasing. Origa broke off the kiss and gently tugged at one of Chloe's nipples.

"Let us try one of our new toys." She grinned wickedly at her companion. Chloe returned the grin and rolled out of bed. She skipped over to a large chest and opened it, as faint aura of magic wafted out as she did so.

"Which one?" The blonde elf looked over her shoulder at her queen.

"I am feeling bold." Origa called after her.

"As you command." Chloe laughed as she pulled out a strap-on. Stepping into the straps and pulling it up, she sighed with a quiver as the two fleshy shafts in the seat of the harness entered deep into her. Origa laid on her back and spread her legs as Chloe returned. "Prepare yourself, my Queen." She knelt on the bed. What protruded from the harness were not shafts of stitched and stuffed leather, but rather the magically-preserved, still-living phalluses of two treasonous orcs. Origa moaned and clenched the sheets as she was filled front and rear. As Chloe bucked her hips, both women heard a quartet of tortured screams in the back of their minds.


	6. Hubris and Nemesis

**Author's note: Okay, so from my research I have determined that the asshole-mummy's name is Shamuhaza. If this is incorrect, please let me know what it really is.**

* * *

"Gyaah!" Luu-Luu roared as she swung her massive battleaxe in an arc, cleaving a half-dozen insectoid beasts asunder. "These bastards are puny, but they just keeping coming!"

"Puny? That's funny coming from you" Maia laughed as she tore through several of the cat-sized creatures with her daggers. Her mischievous grin faltered for a moment. "It might be annoying, but at least we're not fighting people who had been my friends."

"Hmph! That's not a good look on you. Get that smirk back." The halfing frowned as she bounced from target to target. "Friends? Those monsters betrayed you the first chance they got!"

"R-right." Maia replied halfheartedly. The scene of her killing Volt flashed through her mind. "It is just… I can remember how things had been before…"

"Yeah, well, for the rest of us-"

"Enough talk." Kaguya, flanked by two soldiers, spoke calmly as she crushed an insectoid head with the butt of her staff. "Focus on the task at hand."

"Y-yes." Maia and Luu-Luu replied in unison. Kaguya stared down at the carcass as ichor oozed from the cracked exoskeleton. She shuddered as she thought of how many of these horrific creatures she had been forced to birth in the past year.

Slowly, the three woman and their escorting squad of soldiers pushed through the sea of chittering beasts and made their way to a staircase carved into the side of the mountain.

"Ugh!" Maia groaned as she gazed up the thousand-step stairway. "We have to go all the way up that thing?"

"You think _you're_ going have a hard time?" Luu-Luu muttered as she crossed her arms.

"Yes." Kaguya stated. "Shamuhaza is atop these steps."

"Well no use just standing here like idiots." The halfling dashed up several steps, swing her axe through the insectoid beasts like a scythe through wheat. 

* * *

"Ugh!" Maia panted heavily, taking the last of the thousand steps and reaching the summit. "I never… want to… take anoth… er step… in my… life."

"Focus." Kaguya said tersely, seemingly unfazed by the grueling trek they had just taken up the mountainside. "This is not over yet."

"Yeah. There's the little shit right there." Luu-Luu pointed ahead. Before them was a flat, circular space a few dozen yards in diameter. The space was surrounded by a ring of enormous claw-shaped rock formations jutting ten feet or more out of the ground. At the far end of the circle, a man wrapped head to toe in linen bandages stood upon a makeshift altar. Performing some sort of ritual, he chanted in an ancient tongue and scattered powder into several braziers.

"Shamuhaza." Kaguya muttered. Beyond the bandaged man, Kaguya saw five naked women, their bellies swollen as if pregnant, chained to several of the formations. She tightened her grip on her staff as she realized the five women were her former disciples. The priestess furrowed her brow and raised her voice. "Shamuhaza!"

"My dear Kaguya." The Shamuhaza paused his ritual and turned towards the priestess.

"Shamuhaza! Your hubris comes to an end this day." She tapped the butt of her staff against the ground. "We are your Nemesis. The agents of divine retribution sent to punish you for your transgressions, both worldly and spiritually."

"Unlikely." Shamuhaza spat. "The only ones to be punished here are you lot. You were stolen from me, Kaguya. You and that perfect body of yours. I have been forced to make use of these five inferior specimens." He swung an arm out towards the disciples. "Inferior, but not completely worthless." He then turned around and resumed his ritual.

As if on cue, the five women began screaming in pain. They sobbed and struggled against their chains as their orifices gaped and slowly excreted more of the insectoid creatures. The women went limp with exhaustion as their unholy offspring slipped free. Unlike the others, however, these five beasts were of a bright red color and unusually large. Still wet with the juices of their birth, the creatures sprang to life and charged towards the soldiers.

"Stand back, princesses!" One of the soldiers shouted as they positioned themselves in front of the three women. He swung his sword at the nearest creature, and as the blade bit into the red carapace, the creature exploded in a huge ball of fire. Kaguya, Maia, and Luu-Luu were all thrown to the ground as the other four beasts exploded in quick succession.

"Son of a…" Luu-Luu rubbed her head as she staggered back to her feet. "No way…" As her vision cleared, she saw the soldiers all laying on the ground. Some were reduced to charred corpses, while other suffered grievous injuries or knocked out by blasts. In a panic she spun around in search of the other two princesses of the Shield Alliance. The halfling sighed in relief upon seeing Maia help Kaguya up.

"So you three are still alive." Shamuhaza growled. "Good, good. I would disappointed if I could not reclaim the High Priestess."

"Surrender, fiend." Kaguya demanded. "Volt is dead, the Black Dogs are no more, and Origa Discordia has reclaimed her kingdom. You have no more allies, and now your last trump card has failed. You have nothing left."

"Heh heh heh. You are mistaken, priestess." The bandaged man's voice was wet, as if his throat was filled with phlegm. "That trump card provided me with just the time I needed." With a groan, Shamuhaza doubled over and his muscles rippled and twitched. Bandages and clothing tore apart as his flesh expanded to grotesque size. His skin split and tore away, revealing a blue, chitinous exoskeleton underneath.

"What. The. Fuck." Maia stared wide-eyed as the bulging flesh sloughed off. Now standing eight feet tall, Shamuhaza was no longer human, but had become a demonic, drider-like creature.

"Yesss… My apotheosis is complete." The creature hissed through clattering mandibles, it's eight black eyes stared unblinkingly at the three women. "Now, try not to die. I would like to make you all my broodmares."

"Maia. Luu-Luu." Kaguya closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Please keep him occupied. I have a powerful incantation, but it requires some time."

"You can count on us." Luu-Luu grinned with a wink.

"I don't normally do spiders, but this guy is pissing me off." Maia added. The two warrior women gave each other a nod and charged at the insectoid abomination.

"Fools!" Shamuhaza easily parried the women's strikes with his scythe-like appendages. "Do mere mortals believe that they can stand against me?!"

"Give me a break." Luu-Luu groaned while blocking a blow with the haft of her axe. As the drider was distracted with the halfling, Maia leapt onto his spider-like abdomen. She reversed her grip on her daggers and stabbed as hard as she could, but the blades glanced harmlessly off the chitin.

"Damn it." The rose-haired woman cursed as she jumped away just as a claw swiped in where she had been.

"Did you really think those tiny little nubs could pierce this glorious hide?" Shamuhaza laughed as he spun around and thrashed at Maia, who dodged desperately.

"Don't turn your back on me you ugly fucker!" Luu-Luu swung her axe, landing a solid hit on one of the drider's back legs. A small fragment of chitin chipped off the limb.

"Pathetic!" The drider shouted. He kicked the leg out, knocking Luu-Luu down, and then shot a glob of webbing from his spinneret.

"You have got to be shitting me!" The halfling cried out as she found herself stuck to the ground.

"Now for you!" Shamuhaza reached out with one of his more hand-like appendages and grasped a hold of Maia.

"Let me go!" She yelled as the drider brought her close to his face. "Oh my god! Let me go let me go let me go!" Maia panicking wildly at being so close to the horrifying visage.

"Prepare you womb." Shamuhaza twitched his pedipalps and brought Maia's groin against one. The small limb split open her trousers and underpants as it prodded at her womanhood.

"No! Don't touch me!" Maia struggled.

"You do not make demands of me-eeagh!" Shamuhaza was suddenly enveloped in a pillar of golden light and thrust against the ground. He dropped Maia, who scurried away as quickly as she could. "Wh-what is this?!"

"As I told you, Shamuhaza." Kaguya spoke calmly, a grim look on her face. She held her hands outstretched, her staff floating several inches above her upward facing palms. "Nemesis." She turned her hands and clapped them together.

"Aaaagh!" Shamuhaza screamed in pain as the pillar of light shone brighter. Maia raised her arms in front of her face as she was hit by a blast of intense heat. The webbing that held Luu-Luu down began to disintegrate, and the halfling was able to break free. The drider's exoskeleton began to flake away and his body burst into flames. His screams became demonic screeching as body parts began to turn to ash. As the pillar of light grew ever brighter, Maia and Luu-Luu were forced to look away. A few moments later, the screeching died out and the bright light dimmed. The two warrior women looked up and found that not a trace was left of Shamuhaza.

"Ashes to ashes…" Kaguya whispered and fell to her knees, her staff hit the ground with a clatter.

"Kaguya! Are you all right?!" Luu-Luu hurried to her side.

"Yes, I am fine." The priestess breathed heavily. Tend to the wounded. Free my disciples.

"Aye." Luu-Luu nodded.

"It is done." Maia muttered as she looked at the scorched earth. Tears trickled down her cheeks. "He was the last. The Black Dogs are... all dead. What… what happens now?"

"Well," Luu-Luu slapped her on the back. "First we get these people out of here. But after that, I'd say we go get a few drinks. Relax a little. Forget all this shit. Maybe see if we can find some hot guys to take home with us." She laughed heartily.

"Heh. Yeah." Maia wiped here eyes and smiled.


	7. The Once and Future Queen

Celestine stood at the altar of the Grand Cathedral adorned in the white, and considerably exposing, dress that she had worn as queen. With regal elegance, she gazed out upon the throngs of citizens that packed the cathedral to full capacity. Off to the side, the organist played a song of great pomp and grandeur. Five women stood in a row in front of Celestine: Prim Fiorire, Alicia Arcturus, Claudia Levantine, Maia, and Luu-Luu.

The organist reached the weighty climax of his song, and all in attendance turned to look as High Priestess Kaguya began her procession down the aisle. In her hands she held an ornate crown, and at her sides, Lucius and Saul provided honor guard. With a slow, solemn pace, she made her way towards Celestine. She took a step up the altar and bowed her head as she held out the crown. Celestine delicately lifted the crown from Kaguya's fingers, and the took a step back to be in line with the other women. The princess all turned and knelt before Celestine as she raised the coronet and crowned herself. As the High Queen's fingertips let go of the royal headpiece, the cathedral erupted in celebration of absolute joy. Celestine bade the women stand and they did so. She then took one step forward and raised her arms to hush the crowd. As relative quiet fell upon the cathedral, Celestine cleared her throat.

"Subjects, citizens, friends." She spoke with a strong voice. "This past one and one-half years have been a time of terrible trials and tribulations. I do not believe that I need to expound upon the heinous deeds inflicted upon us, including myself, by those who had betrayed us. Or how the brave men and women of these southern nations banded together and struck down those fiends, and returned these lands to themselves. This day, this moment, is a celebration of their loyalty, selflessness, and determination. _Your_ loyalty, selflessness, and determination." The crowd burst into applause and cheering, and Celestine paused and politely waited for the commotion to die down. "And now, with our nations restored, and the treacherous Black Dog mercenaries expunged, it is time that the Alliance is formed anew." She paused once more to allow the ecstatic crowd their clapping and cheering. "It will not be the Seven Shield Alliance, however." She held out her hand, and the audience turned towards the vestibule at the entrance. There, Orgia Discordia appeared and made her way down the nave towards Celestine. At her side and a half-step behind, Chloe walked with her.

"For many years," Celestine continued. "The South and the North have waged war. Many died, countless suffered, and it all culminated in betrayal." Origa and Chloe reached the end of the nave and joined the other women of the Alliance. The crowd whispered amongst themselves and glanced suspiciously at the dark elves. Origa returned these glance with a look of stoic defiance. "Through that betrayal and subsequent pain, however, I believe a common bond had been formed between the citizens of both lands. As such, the purpose of this new Alliance will not be one to win a war, but rather, one to nurture our peace. Therefore, with the inclusion of Queen Origa Discordia and her champion, Chloe, I hereby declare the formation of the _Nine_ Shield Alliance.

* * *

"This is absurd!" Saul grunted as he paced around Celestine's throne room, a freshly crafted Captain's sash hung across his chest . The immense hall was mostly empty. The only others present were the nine women of the Alliance, Lucius, and a few other soldiers. "I beg your forgiveness, High Queen, but including that woman in the reformed Alliance is beyond the pale." He stopped and pointed a finger at Origa.

"Calm yourself, Saul." Lucius, the newly promoted Castellan, warned. "Queen Celestine has already announced her decision, and I believe it is the right one."

"How can you say that, Lucius?" The stout soldier gestured angrily. "You know as well as I how many deaths the Dark Queen is responsible for. How many womenfolk did she allow her soldiers to abduct and enslave? I do not care what has happened since, she does not deserve forgiveness."

"Hmph." Origa crossed her arms and scoffed. "I did what I had to do in order to keep the more degenerate of my subjects in line. It could have been much, much worse." In an intentionally obvious manner, she glanced at Chloe. "Besides, do not think that the dark elves had not suffered similarly at the vulgar hands of humans, even before those motherless Black Dogs put their stain upon the earth."

"But how can we trust someone as ruthless as you?" Saul retorted. "I was part of the expedition sent to help you retake your country. I saw what you did to your enemies. I saw the brutality with which you treated those that surrendered. Such viciousness and cruelty has no place in the alliance.

"As a queen, I have no need to justify myself to a common soldier." Origa sneered.

"Enough of this. Please." Celestine interjected. "I am not asking everyone to forgive everyone else. Or for everyone to like each other. I realize that many still hold deep-seated animosity, which is understandable considering history. What I hope is that by including the North in this alliance, we might be able to prevent future sins, and avoid any further suffering. We can allow neither pride nor vengeance create a situation in which another group like the Black Dogs might arise and begin the cycle of suffering anew."

"You are right, Lady Celestine." Origa closed her eyes and exhaled, calming herself before looking back at Saul. "You may hate me, and disapprove of how I rule as queen, but I was completely honest when I said that I did what I believed I had to do. The orcs, and imps, and other monstrous races of my land are truly barbaric, and I thought that those living in a human town here and there were an acceptable sacrifice if it meant protecting the dark elves of my nation. In the end, however, that resulted in my overthrow and enslavement, and the enslavement of the very people that I was trying to protect." Her expression became earnest, almost pleading. "I am not asking for your forgiveness. I do not require it, and I know that you will not give it anyways. Despite that, I truly hope that through this alliance we can avoid the mistakes of the past, and perhaps together we can find a way to peacefully deal with my more demonic subjects."

For a while, Saul stared at Origa, his lips sucked in and his brow furrowed in thought. From his personal experience, the Dark Queen had always been arrogant, prideful, and condescending. But here, both her expression and her voice portrayed genuine sincerity, and an uncharacteristic humility.

"I... I see..." Saul finally muttered. "You are right, Lady Origa. I will not... I cannot forgive you. I do not know if I ever truly will. And there are many that feel as I do. But, you do seem earnest in your commitment to the alliance and to peace. I will... relent in my objections and persuade the others to do likewise."

"Very good." Celestine smiled at both of them. "Can we now return to actually working out the details?"

* * *

 **Author's note: I apologize that this chapter was just a bunch of talking, but, well, the fighting has pretty much been wrapped up. Yes, there may be some minor baddies that didn't die "on-screen," but that doesn't mean they didn't get what they deserved. Anyways, the next chapter is probably just going to be an epilogue of short snippets, and that'll be the end of it.**


	8. Denouement

"As you can see from the report, my Queen," Alicia Arcturus knelt before High Queen Celestine, who sat atop her throne reading a parchment. "It appears as if Origa Discordia has betrayed your trust not even a year after joining us in alliance. She has instituted numerous festivals of public orgy and debauchery, established numerous brothels throughout her domain, and promoted sexual promiscuity and licentiousness. It seems as if she is doing as Volt had done."

"That is not the case, Alicia. This is not what it appears to be" Celestine put down the parchment.

"I did not want to believe it either, Queen Celestine, but multiple sources describe these orgiastic bacchanalia taking place in the North. Should we not worry that the days of abduction and enslavement are returning? "

"Such worries are not warrented." The elven queen smiled warmly. "I recently received word from the Dark Queen herself, describing and justifying the very items in this report.

She said that the uncontrollable lust of many of her subjects was a major reason why they had attacked us in the past. What has been described in your report are the measures she has taken to contain those lusts. All those involved do so willingly, the prostitutes of those brothels are paid well from the royal coffers, and more... openness will reduced the... instability of pent up desire."

"And you believe her assurances?" Alicia lifted her head. "I want to trust Origa, but I am terrified of the prospect of another betrayal."

"I do believe her. The Dark Queen stated that she has also instituted execution as punishment for rape, and outlawed all forms of slavery." Celestine spoke first with hope, then gave a sigh. "But I am not so naive as to not share your worries. Rest assured that I am not blind in my trust, and past mistakes will not be repeated."

"Yes, my Queen." Alicia replied with a deferential tone and bowed her head deeply.

* * *

"Wooo-hooo!" Luu-Luu cheered as she lifted her mug. "Here's to the Black Dogs! May they burn in Hell forever!"

"Here here." Maia was less than half-hearted in her reply.

"Oh come on, Maia!" Luu-Luu shouted above the din of the tavern. "It is the three-year anniversary of our freedom, why so sour?"

"It is just..." Maia stared into her drink. "It still bothers me. How I-"

"Oh how I killed the man I love." Luu-Luu mockingly slapped her hands against her face. "Oh how I killed the men that I considered my brothers."

"Don't be a bitch." Maia glared before taking a drink.

"Then don't be more upset about what you did to them than what they did to you." The halfling wagged her finger. Then, something caught her eye. "Hey, Maia, what do you think of those two guys over there?" Maia turned to where Luu-Luu was pointing and saw two rather handsome men sitting at the bar.

"Well, they'r-" Maia quickly turned back around as one of the men saw her and gave a sly wink. "They're pretty h-"

"Pretty damn hot, yeah?" The halfing blurted out.

"But I-" Maia tried to protest as Luu-Luu grabbed her by the arm.

"Come on! Let's get us a piece of that."

* * *

Prim carefully stepped down from the carriage, helped by a servant. Shielding her eyes from the bright midday sun, she looked up at the estate of the Levantine family. She had visited numerous times before, but this was the first without Alicia with her.

"Ah! Prim!" Prim turned her head towards a large stone porch and saw Claudia sitting at a small table. Across from her, Kaguya sat with a stoic expression on her face. As gracefully as she could, Prim made her way to the table and took a seat.

"I am so glad you could make it, Prim." Claudia said warmly.

"And I am grateful for the invitation." Prim nodded as a servant poured her tea. "It is good to see the High Priestess as well."

"Indeed, Lady Fiorire." Kaguya said as she closed her eyes and sipped her tea. "It is-oof!"

"Ow!" A child yelped as the priestess was nearly thrown from her seat. The three women looked and saw a young boy kneeling on the ground and rubbing his head.

"Anton! Be careful!" Claudia shouted as she shot up from her seat.

"Sorry, Mom." The blonde-haired boy stood and brushed himself off.

"I am not the one you need to apologize to." Lady Levantine put her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, Lady Kaguya." The boy lowered his head.

"It is alright." The priestess replied, but the boy had already run off.

"Haha. Cute." Prim giggled. "He has gotten so big, how old is he now?"

"He is seven." Claudia smiled. "It has been five years since Klaus and I adopted him, only a month after High Queen Celestine was restored to the throne."

"You two have done well." The pink-haired woman nodded.

* * *

Origa Discordia sighed with a shiver and lolled her head back as she sat within her private chambers. Taking a sip of wine, she placed one hand on the blonde-haired head between her thighs. There, Chloe licked lovingly at Discordia while gingerly teasing her rosebud with an oiled finger. She looked up at Origa, the Dark Queen's nectar dripping from her lips. For a moment their eyes met and they shared a warm smile.

Suddenly, there was the creaking of an opening door. With lightning reflexes, Chloe rolled to the side and jumped to her feet. Just as swiftly, Origa crossed her legs and threw the hem of her dress over her thighs.

"My Queen!" The dark elf steward called out as he stepped into the room. Origa and Chloe stole a glance at each other and looked back at the steward. If he had seen what they had been doing, then he did a good job at pretending that he did not. "A message from Lady Celestine of the southern realms."

"Proceed, steward." Origa spoke with a haughty elegance as she set her wine glass on the table next to her. "What message does fair Celestine have for us?" With a curt nod, the steward produced a piece of parchment and began reading.

"'It is with great honor and fanfare that the High Queen Lady Celestine Lucross and her Princess Knights extend invitation to our northern sisters, Dark Queen Origa Discordia and Queen-Consort Chloe, to attend, as guests of the Goddess, the celebrations marking ten years since the defeat of the most vile Volt and his dastardly Black Dogs mercenaries and the formation of said Nine Shield Alliance.

May the bond between our nations last forevermore,

Claudia Levantine  
Alicia Arcturus  
Prim Fiorire  
Kaguya  
Maia  
Luu-Luu  
High Queen Celestine Lucross'"

"Very good." Origa replied simply. "Draft a reply of acceptance, we are honored by the invitation, declare our commitment to continued peace and fellowship, et cetera, et cetera. You are dismissed."

"My Queen." The steward bowed deeply and left the room.

"Ten years already, huh?" Chloe muttered, her eyes downcast as the horrible memories returned to her.

"Think not of that time, my _Queen-Consort_." From behind, Origa wrapped an arm around Chloe. With her other hand, she plucked a small teacake from the nearby table and lovingly fed it to her companion. "All those that betrayed us have long since suffered their just desserts, and we have ensured that such treason shall never again befall us. You are safe." She then pushed Chloe onto the chair and knelt so that her face was mere inches from the blonde elf's loins. "Now, allow your queen to comfort and reward her most loyal, and loving, companion."

* * *

 **Author's Note: That's that, folks. Thank you all for reading and commenting and favoriting and all that. I apologize for the lateness with the epilogue and perhaps a bit of laziness in parts. It seems I had run out of gas in a way, and had been distracted with other things in life as well.**


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